Crocus, September, 2013

[ebbie]

Nice clump of banaticus! Is the white ones the cultivar First Snow?

Poul

Thanks Poul. Yes, the white crocus is 'First Snow'.

[Janis Ruksans]

Still some pictures from 30th september, so still in September entry:
Two different Crocus cartwrightianus - cultivqars Michel and Purple Heart
And three hadriaticus - Anabelle, Dark Ace and Archibalds form
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Some more Crocus hadriaticus seedlings (note difference in throat colour) and Crocus tournefortii
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Crocus pictured on first two pictures was grown up from open pollinated Crocus ilgazensis seeds. When they bloomed - clearly were visible features of pulchellus, confirming that it is hybris. I named it 'Fantasy'
Then Crocus kotschyanus (excellent form collected by me in Turkey) and again hybrid (this case raised, I suppose by Potterton & Martin) - kotschyanus x ochroleucus
and last in this entry - Crocus oreocreticus

[Janis Ruksans]

Now 2 forms of Crocus longiflorus (throat colour) and three of Crocus mathewii, the first was collected last spring (2012) without flowers, then KARIN from Gothenburg BG and as last DREAM DANCER (who selected it - I don't know).
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

After long work sawing and resawing seeds finally I got healthy (virus-free) stock of Crocus nerimaniae (2 pictures)
Then 2 pictures of Crocus pulchellus from Chios - all grown up from seeds
And last here - Crocus riobertianus from Greece - almost white specimen blindly collected in spring

[Janis Ruksans]

And last entry from September =
Crocus speciosus cultivar OXONIAN is the latest from dutch cultivars and one of three still grown by me (other two are Albus and Artabir). It is easy saparable from others (and plants usually offered by this name on trade) by its deep purple flower tube. I don't know any other cultivar with such colour.
Then 3 pictures of Iranian C. speciosus archibaldiorum
and on last is common view of Autumn crocus bed in my nursery (it is collection). Flowering of autumn crocuses is long-time process starting in July with scharojanii and ending with permanent frost (now we had first snow and this morning temperature was minus 5 C). Many already finished and many still not started blooming. Spring blooming is much more compressed in time, so it looks more abbundant.
Janis

[Rimmer de Vries]

and as last DREAM DANCER (who selected it - I don't know).
Janis

Dream Dancer looks like it has C. sativus in it with the long styles.

Rimmer

[Boyed]

Janis,

your post are always very interesting!
crocus speciosus alchibaldiorum is a real beauty having such nice patterns.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks Poul. Yes, the white crocus is 'First Snow'.

The other day Rimmer sent us this nice photo of his  'First Snow ' - I would have shown it then but I managed to misplace it until now.....

[Steve Garvie]

I'm a bit late but here are a few images of crocus from September:


Crocus banaticus growing under a Himalayan Birch in the garden.


Crocus banaticus albus This single bulb just "appeared" in a small area of the garden normally tended by our canine archaeologist and is probably being nurtured by a neolithic lamb shank. I meant to dig it up but missed the opportunity and now wee Dougie (the dug) has covered the area with fresh soil.


Crocus vallicola This individual is in a pot but might be better planted out to avoid a summer baking.
Vallicola is an aristocrat amongst crocus with those delicate whispy terminal tips to the petals being a touch of artistic genius!

[Tim Ingram]

Just the most amazing pictures of crocus! How does one convert from growing snowdrops? The picture of Janis' tunnel and that last photo of C. vallicola are something else.

[Maggi Young]

Just the most amazing pictures of crocus! How does one convert from growing snowdrops? The picture of Janis' tunnel and that last photo of C. vallicola are something else.

 Very simple, Tim - walk towards the colour!  Croconuttery is a sublime obsession. 

[Hillview croconut]

I know it's driven me nuts.  I used to have a normal life,  off to the pub,  visiting friends,  watching tele now is all the time crouched over fiddling in the dirt and reading catalogs!

Wonderful photo of C. vallicola. It and C. suworianus are the first to flower here in Tassie but it seems like a futile effort because the intense heat just withers the blooms within days. I don't know what triggers flowering in these cases because it certainly isn't moisture or temperature,  maybe day length?

Cheers, Marcus

[Margaret]

Could C. vallicola be grown in the garden or does it need an alpine house? It is very beautiful.